Riley for 12 years . We ’ ve always rescued ; animals sense you ’ ll care for them and keep them safe , and I feel responsible when animals need help . I just want to take care of animals . I love groups like the Louisiana SPCA and ARNO ( Animal Rescue New Orleans ) that do so much for animals . When people give up on animals , it breaks my heart . They all deserved to be loved .” Even on tour Fish wants to rescue animals . “ My band thinks I ’ m crazy . I ’ m like , ‘ Oh ! Can we put him in the car ?’ And they ’ re like , ‘ No . We can ’ t .’ My band did take me to a cat café in Chicago in 2018 to pet cats for my birthday . It was awesome !”
Fish is so excited about her current extensive tour . “ Oh man , I can ’ t wait to see everyone again !” says Fish , who recently headlined The Missouri Wine & Jazz Festival back home in Kansas City . She ’ ll tour the U . S . and Europe into late 2022 , Fish performs locally this October at The Fillmore New Orleans ( Friday the 8th ) and The Howlin ’ Wolf ( Thursday the 14th ).
While music aficionados rejoice that the guitar virtuoso is touring , others are not enthused . “ Packing is the worst ,” says Fish . “ I secretly pack because Mo will watch me and get depressed , and hide so deep under the bed I can ’ t reach him to pet him before I go . I felt so guilty leaving him by himself , but he ’ s got buddies now . I ’ ve thought maybe when I get the bus I can bring him on tour , but he hates riding and my band would hate that !”
They haven ’ t earned a spot on her tour but Fish ’ s cats do infiltrate her work . “ My new song
‘ Hypnotic ’ is about putting someone under a spell ,” says Fish . “ It ’ s a sexy , mysterious song about confidence ; those are all cat attributes . Cats are intoxicating . If one jumps on you and starts purring , they ’ ll put you to sleep . They cast little sleep spells ! I ’ m very inspired by feline energy ; it helps me with my writing .” Yet her babes have no qualms about pouncing on Fish ’ s instruments and attempting their own version of guitar shredding . “ They ’ re terrible , man , they don ’ t give a care ! Changing guitar strings ? Forget about it ! They ’ ll come up and nail me ; it ’ s a fun game for them . They do not respect the sanctity of work !”
And while discussing classic cat verbiage , like motor-running and biscuit-making that her boys do , Fish quite possibly did what bighearted animal lovers eventually succumb to after finding a stray : break down and make them a permanent family member . “ I read that cats meow for our benefit , knowing we respond to it ,” says Fish . “ I encourage my boys to be talkative and tell me what they need . They ’ re chatty , both of them , well , all three of them … OK , I ’ m just going to include the third guy now because we know what ’ s going to happen here ! ( Laughs .) I was supposed to release him , but he ’ s already won my heart . His name might be Sunny . I just gotta get the Roomba rocking every day !”
For more information please see samanthafish . com animalrescueneworleans . org louisianaspca . org
28 Life Unleashed